The Last of Us - Staying Alive
by Saxon01
Summary: The unofficial gap between the prologue and summer in the Last of Us. Chronicles Joel's friendship with Tess, the fall out with Tommy, and the effects after Sarah passes and Joel's coping.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_Sarah..._

_...that fucking soldier..._

_Sarah..._

_...baby girl..._

Her body was still warm, the smell of gunpowder still in the air. Someone was shaking him, shouting his name. But the shouting was muffled, like his world was underwater. He snapped out of it and looked up. Tommy was standing over him, pulling out his gun.

"Joel, cmon, we gotta move!"

"They killed her..." Joel muttered.

"I know Joel, but we gotta move!"

Joel looked up. Eight people -the infected from before probably- were rushing towards them. Joel stood up, adjusting Sarah's body. "Let's get to the truck!" Tommy shouted.

They began running, Joel cradling his lost treasure in his arms. It took them four minutes to get to the truck Tommy had parked.

Joel tucked Sarah's body into the back seat of the truck. Tommy started up the truck and drove off. Joel stared blankly out of the window, the passing night landscape moving by like a blur.

"Look," Tommy said, "we'll park in a safe place and... we'll bury her."

"It should've been me..." Joel murmered. Tommy looked at him sadly, before moving back to the windshield.

They drove eighteen miles before stopping at a deserted backyard. A shovel was in a shed. They spent three hours digging three feet, then sky turning purple-gold.

Joel remained silent, tears running down his cheeks.

"I know a girl who can help," Tommy said. "I'll wait in the truck."

Tommy waited a half-hour while Joel said his goodbyes.

He got in the red and dirtied up truck and drove off to meet Tommy's friend.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

The truck ride had taken five hours.

Gas was running low, as was Joel's stability. Tommy had to slap himself a few times once the adrenaline had run out.

The car pulled onto dirt yard. A rickety house sat there, painted lime green, which was peeling off of the walls. The door opened and a woman stepped out. She was wearing a white tank-top and jeans, a lit cigarette in hand. She had little complexion, but was definitely built. Tommy turned off the car and looked at Joel.

"I'm... gonna go inside for a second. I'll talk to her about our scenario."

Tommy got out, Joel still staring out of the passenger side window. He looked out the windshield. Tommy walked up to the woman and began talking to her, both of them looking to Joel. The woman looked concernedly at Joel and turned back to Tommy. She walked inside, throwing the cigarette. Tommy walked up to the car and opened his door. "C'mon, let's get moving."

Joel got out and began walking to the house. Tommy had already walked inside. Joel opened the door and looked around. It was only one story, but the main entrance was a long wooden hallway, pictures hung on the walls in the spaces between eight doorways, four on each side. Joel could hear radio static coming from the end of the hallway. Joel walked in and saw the woman, listening to the radio, scrawling down information she heard on the news.

"This, uh, this place still gettin' radio signals?" Joel asked.

"Yeah," the woman said, turning the radio off.

"It got shut off in the city."

"Where you from?"

"Boston."

"Hmm..."

She put out a hand. "Name's Tess. Tess Whitman."

"Like the poet?"

"I guess. Joel right?"

"Yeah, Joel Miller."

"Nice too meet you Joel."

He looked around. "Where's Tommy?"

"He went to him bedroom."

"He's been here before?"

"Usually when we trade with Bill."

"Who's Bill?"

"No one you'd like to meet."

Joel stood in silence and then asked, "Do you have a bathroom?"

Tess nodded. "Yeah, hallway to the right, second door from the front.'

"Thanks," Joel said, walking out of the room and into the bathroom.

Tommy came out of his room and the bathroom door close. He walked into Tess' room and saw the notebook she was keeping on the outbreak. "Anything new?"

"They think they've traced down what's causing the outbreak, but, god knows what's on this planet that could have set it off."

"I'm gonna go check on Joel," Tommy said, walking towards the bathroom. "Joel?"

He listened in. The fan was on, but underneath that was a heavy sobbing. "Joel?!" Tommy said, worriedly.

No answer except for the sobbing.

"JOEL!" Tommy screamed, hitting the door, and knocking it down. Joel was sitting in the corner of the dirty tile bathroom, a razor in hand, his wrist on the floor, fortunately uncut. Tears were streaming down his face as Tommy ran over.

"I can't... I can't do it!" Joel said, sobbing. Tommy hugged him, Joel dropping the razor.


End file.
